#1 Zagat Rated in Cali! :o

potato pancake FAIL

Continuing my warp-speed job transition weekend, I accompanied mi padre to Sonoma for some drive-by touring. We started out getting breakfast in Healdsburg. My dad kept telling me we were going to some creamery, but once we got there, he decided he'd rather go to the cafe next door. I was excited at first because they claimed to have potato pancakes... but as per usual, it ended up being a mush of crappy hash brown things. sigh sigh. The homemade peach coffee cake was kind of crappy too :(. Now I'm reading reviews and see the creamery place was on the Food Network for being amazing. Lame.

Onward we traveled all around Sonoma checking out wineries and all the scenery. It was gorgeous out and quite a fun trip. It was highly epic as I freaking tried some champagne at one of the stops!!! :O. I didn't actually like it that much, but still, wow. Crazy. We ended up driving to the ocean and playing around on the beach while wasting time before going to Bodega Bay for dinner. 

#1 rated??

This is beyond bizzare, and I'm not even sure if it's a kink in the system... but for some reason the 2011 #1 Zagat CA restaurant is Terrapin Creek Cafe in BB. This place ended up being very tasty, but still, with cities like LA & SF competing, it blows my mind that the top dining in the state is in some rural coastal town. 

cute bread dishes

We had the earliest reservations (4:30) so when we arrived, the place was still getting set up for dinner. It is very family owned & oriented with the (highly attractive) husband waiting and managing, and the wife busy as the lead chef. They even had their baby hanging out while the prepared everything. It is decorated rather simply but with a modern flair, and there is a tiny patio which has a view of the water.

I was super starving and highly appreciated the bottomless 3 bread basket (which cost $1.50 >: |). For appetizers, we split a roasted beet salad and grilled octopus. Both were delicious!! Along with the beets, there was goat cheese, almonds, and some vinagrette. It was extremely flavorful and so fresh tasting. The octopus was also amazing. It was cooked to the perfect consistency and didn't have any sort of fishy taste that you usually get with calamari. I was very surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

grilled octopus

Next, for our entrees, I tried the meatballs and my dad got the sea bass. My dish was very different since I'm only used to getting meatballs with spaghetti, or at IKEA. I really liked it because instead of pasta or potatoes, they were served on a bed of tomato sauce covered pecorino cheese. I'd never had pecorino before, but it's a creamy, subtle tasting cheese similar to ricotta in consistency. The dish was super filling, but really unique and terrific. My dad's fish also tasted great, and he seemed to really enjoy it. 

Even though we were stuffed, we had to get dessert. I ordered the mini cheesecake and it was the star of the meal. I have never had such a perfectly prepared cheesecake. It was so incredibally smooth and creamy and was not obnoxiously cream cheese flavored. The graham crust was very buttery and crispy, and it came with a delicious raspberry dipping sauce which really highlighted the flavors. My dad's dessert was a little pot of choco-hazlenut with mini cookies to dip. It was a bit too rich for my tastes, and I think he was jealous of mine.

 

best cheesecake ever

It was a very incredible meal. I definitely think it should be highly rated; however, I'm not sure I agree it's the best in CA. I guess that's a very subjective rating. I have kind of ghetto tastes... haha I'd probably pick a fad place like Straw as my favorite :) that's why I don't work for Michelin

Sweet Maple Brunch

Waiting area w/ magazines for inevitable 11 am crowds

Ugh. Still hate being sick. After a slightly socially stressful time out last night, I slept in crazy late this morning (11am) and was totally dead. My original plan was to lay in my pjs until I had to answer the door for the dinner delivery person, but then Eugi suggested we go get brunch. Since I was hungry and there's nfw I'm jogging today (tear...), I accepted.

I really enjoy the foods, but I almost never go to brunch. My issue is that I generally eat way too much at an awkward hour and then it screws up my food time frame for the rest of the day. I'm always semi-sad about it though, because there are so many amazing sounding places in the city. Today, I immediately picked a place in lower Pac Heights that has been on my lists for awhile: Sweet Maple.

so spacious! wood oven for pizza back there

Luckily it was pretty late when we arrived (2pm), so we missed the morning rush. I was really impressed by the size of the restaurant. Most city places are small and cramped, but this one was quite spacious and had ample seating. I imagine that around 11-12 it is probably pretty packed because they had several waiting areas both in and outside. The decor actually kind of reminded me of Utah for some reason. It had the kind of rustic, new Pepperwood look to it with beige uneven brick work and dark wood tables and seating. This of course made me happy :)

Sweet Maple is only open for breakfast and lunch which makes me sad because their menu is huge an extensive. They have a wide variety of omelets, scrambles, french toasts, eggs benedict, pizzas, burgers and more. They even have fried french toast!! I guarantee that's why it made it on my lists in the first place.

It was a really hard decision, but  I went with cinnamon (non fried!) french toast with mixed berries and yogurt. They also had a version with fried bananas and candied walnuts. Superrrr good!!! They put a lot of effort in to the presentation of the food, so I was already satisfied with my choice before I even tasted it. They also have complimentary real maple syrup on every table which was a treat. I doused the pieces in syrup and then dipped them in the yogurt... <3. By the end the yogurt was maple flavored, win!

cinnamon french toast w/ berries & yogurt

Eugi got a breakfast pizza, and I was so jealous because it ended up having a fried egg on it! I freaking love egg on unexpected items. It also had goat cheese, sun dried tomatoes and some arugula. He was nice enough to offer me a piece (cuz unlike most people, I am 100% going to accept such offers) and yes, win as well. My first comment was "dang, this is so savory!!" The crust was really flavorful and the rest of the toppings combined perfectly to make a filling and yummy meal.

egg on pizza!!!!!

Highly recommend for a good weekend brunch!

Fun at the Apple Farm

ROAD TRIP!!! Eugi and I decided to celebrate the long weekend by making a 1.5 day road trip to Santa Barbara. It's always a dangerous line to walk figuring out where to stop for food on the road. You don't want to end up at a chain, but at the same time you don't want to go to some crap-ass random diner in the middle of nowhere. Also! It's hard to know when to stop, cuz you don't want to waste your intake on a truck stop if a fun town is on its way, but then you don't wanna be 3 hours with nothing :S:S:S. We lucked out this time, and guessed perfectly to stop @ the billboard advertised Apple Farm in San Luis Obispo. 

I LOVE POTATO PANCAKES!!

From the outside, this place appears tiny. Once you enter you realize it's actual a huge place, kitschy country store included :). rock on!! We got seated in the furthest of four wings of the restaurant. Each one had it's own cottagey feel. I totally wish I had come here when I was 8. The menu was massive and dinerey, but I immediately eyed "potato pancakes." I've never had those before, nor did I know what it meant... it seemed like the perfect breakfast/lunch fusion. Well played Sharon :D. They were AWESOME!! It reminded me a lot of a Chinese green onion pancake. The texture was like a normal pancake, but the flavor was much more savory with a hint of like, onion? chive? iono, it was good though! It came with sour cream spread, mmm. 

Eugi ended up getting mac + cheese, my second choice, so we split half and half. It was also quite tasty, baked and crispy, but not quite as stand out :O as the potato pancakes. Either way I was mucho satisfied. 

baked mac and fruit

Since I'm still a kid at heart, I had to buy a couple of the specialty flavored candy cane sticks. They totally remind me of being young and going special stores with my mom :). The one I had was kind of gross and melted to the wrapper, but I don't regret dishing out 20 cents purely for nostalgia.

nostalgia flavored candy sticks

P.S. Does anyone have recommends for more places I can try potato pancakes?? Totally loved them :D I tried to look it up on Wikipedia on my phone on the drive back, but it was kind of a fail. It called them "Latka" and then informed me for information on "Latka Gravas" I needed to click thru to a diff page. If there is one thing that will distract me in to laughter fits, it's unexpected Taxi allusions. How can I do research after that?!?!

diner in bfe san mateo!

Last Feb, I hit up Toy Fair in NYC and had a wonderful chat with Shelly from our east coast PR firm. She was so totally floored when she found out that I live in San Mateo and had not yet been to Nini's Diner, apparently the best dive brunch place in the peninsula. I excitedly stuck it on the list... but due to budget constraints and lack of getting up in time to brunch, I hadn't managed it. UNTIL NOW!!!

What better way to kick off labor day weekend that hitting up infamous brunch?!?! Nini's is on the total fringe of North San Mateo, like 3 blocks North of Peninsula 101 exit. I thought that was Burlingame? sketch. This place is totally tiny, street parking in the middle of a neighborhood. We were seated quickly though, and given awesomely full menus. It also had a giant wooden board behind the counter with the menu. I love places like that :D

so much goodness in the scramble <3

I ended up getting a scramble that had cream cheese (go figure) and various other veggies. Totally amazing :) I horked it so fast. Also came with their specialty, super good homefries. I'm not a big b-fast potato person so I can't compare, but I did really enjoy them. This place is great!! Small review, but big recommend :O

My Fav Bay Area Brunch

I freaking love brunch foods!! I actually very rarely eat them though, something about stuffing myself with pancakes etc at 10 and then feeling sick the whole day kinda turns me off :(. With one exception, guests visiting! When my mom came to visit, I had to do some serious planning. I knew we were ferrying over to Sausalito, so i yelp quested for a non-touristy spot. Stupidly, i picked one over a mile away so we had quite the trek.. but it was so freaking worth it! Fred's Coffee Shop is the greatest brunch spot ever. Their whole menu is amazing, and they have FRIED FRENCH TOAST. seriously?! yes. yes they do!!!!! both times i've been i've gotten the one pancake (also great) one fft combo. mmmmmmmmmmmm :) it's also a very cute place. the wait staff is friendly and you can sit at the counter and watch the cooks prep up your food. worth the drive, worth the sickness. check it out next weekend ~~

they even use powdered sugar <3